Reinforced building block



Feb. 6, 1951 s, REED 2,540,349

REINFORCED BUILDING BLOCK Filed Sept. 19, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 6 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFICE 2540.349 REINFORCED BUILDING BLoeK Robert S; Reed, Three Rivers, Mich.

Application September 19, 19456, SerialNo. 697,992

- 1 This invention relates to building blocks. The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide a building block which. constitutes a highly effective insulatorhoth; as to the transmission of heat and moisture.

. Second, to provide a structure of this character which may be very economically and rapidly produced.

Third, to provide a combined reinforcing and insulating unit which may be positioned in a mold and have the concrete portions molded; directly thereto, the reinforcing elements being positioned and carried by the insulating elements.

Fourth, to provide a building. block having these advantages which may be laid in a wall with: other blocks to provide an effective insulated Wall, the blocks being laid as is common. practice in the laying of'bricksor blocks.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is-defi-ned and pointed outv in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in-

which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a building block embodying the invention, a" portion of the reinforcing and tie members being illustrated by dotted lines. 7

Fig. 2 is a transverse section. on. line 22 of Fig. 1, the transverse tie members being shown in full lines.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the assembled unit comprising the insulating members and transverse and longitudinal reinforcing and 'tie members.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the reinforcing and insulating unit, its relation to a mold being shown by dotted lines.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises oppositely disposed complementary side sections I, I, having a plurality of inwardly directed aligned webs 2 and segmental recesses 3 in their ends. The insulating members 55 are of fibrous material, preferably impregnated with a waterproofing material or material resistant to the absorption or transmission of moisture. The insulating members 4 are in the form of bars, the width of the bars corresponding to the width of the tongues or webs 2.

The side sections I of the block are connected by the cross reinforcing and tie members 6 which are in the form of endless loops, the longitudinal members 7 of which are disposed through the insulating members 4 and extend 11 toward the outer side surfaces of the block provide effec- 4 Claims. (01. 72-42) ti've reinforcing means therefor and particularly for the tongue or web-like portions 2thereof.

The longitudinal reinforcing members desig nated generally by the numeral. 8 are-also. in. theform of continuous or closed loops and their 1ongitudinal reaches 9 are welded centrallyto the. end reaches it of the cross members 6.

The longitudinal members i of the-cross memhers have anchoring offsets ll therein engaging the insulating members, thereby centering; the

. insulating members upon the cross members'and permitting the handling of the insulating, mem-- bers and reinforcing and tie members as aunit. The insulating members 4 are desirablymolded upon the longitudinal reaches of the'cross 'mem--- bers, the offsets anchoring the insulating members against movement on. the longitudinalym'eme bers of the cross members. In. certain insulating materials the cross members can-beengagedi with the insulating members before the loops": are closed. I have not illustrated the jOiIltSfOlY" the loops but these are formed of wire or" lightrrod the ends of the rod being welded. The: end reaches l3 of the longitudinalv membersare inwardly oiiset relative to their longitudinalreaches I and oined thereto by the loops l5 which con-.- stitute form engaging members adapted to en.- gage cores of the form or mold not illustrated.

The insulating'members also are designed to engage cores or other parts of theform'for'sup porting the assembled reinforcing and: insulating unit or mold in position. so that the. concrete be placed in the mold to properly embed'the reinforcing members. The units are assembled before placing in the mold which permits very rapid production. The blocks are desirably formed on a moIding ma' chine.

The recesses 5 at the ends of the=bloclt coop-'- erate with corresponding recesses of adjacent blocks to provide additional air chambersthat is, the embodiment illustrated has three air chambers l2 and two half chambers in the adjarate the sections or to fracture at the ends of the elongated air chambers.

I have illustrated anddescrlbed a highly practical embodiment of the invention as applied to a generally rectangular building block. It will be understood that the size and shape and design of the block may be very greatly varied without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A building block comprising oppositely disposed complementary side sections having inwardly directed transversely aligned vertical webs and segmentally recessed ends, insulating members of fibrous material of a width corre-.

sponding to the width of the webs disposed between and spacing their adjacent edges and coacting therewith to provide a plurality of vertical chambers spaced longitudinally of the block and vertical end recesses,,and block reinforcing and section tie members comprising vertical loop-like cross members extending transversely through said insulating members and having oil'- sets in their transverse reaches disposed within said insulating members, and vertical loop-like longitudinal members, the longitudinal reaches of which are Welded'to the end reaches of said cross members, said longitudinal members and the portions of said cross members extendin from said insulating members being moldably embedded in the 'side sections whereby the side sections'are reinforced and tied together with said insulating members between them, the end reaches of said longitudinal'members being disposed transversely inwardly of the block from the general planes of said longitudinal members and .posed' complementary side sections having inwardly directed transversely aligned vertical webs, insulating members of fibrous material of a width corresponding to the width of the webs disposed between and spacing their adjacent edges and coacting therewith to provide a plu- 3. A reinforcing and insulating unit for use in the manufacture of building blocks comprising a plurality of elongated generally rectangular bar-like insulating members adapted to be positioned between sections of a building block, a transversely extending loop-like cross member of metal rod stock associated with each of said insulating members, said cross members having ofisets in their transverse reaches molded within the insulating members at points spaced from the ends of said insulating members, the transverse reaches being connected at their outer ends by end reaches integrally joined to the transverse reaches, and longitudinal members of loop-like metal rod stock having their longitudinal reaches welded to the end reaches 01' the cross members with the end reaches of the longitudinal members disposed in an inwardly ofiset relation to their longitudinal reachesand connected thereto at each end by loops constituting mold element engaging members.

45A reinforcing and insulating unit for use in the manufacture of building blocks comprising'a plurality of elongated generally rectangular bar-like insulating members adapted to be positioned between sections of a building block, a transversely extending loop-like cross member of metal rod stock associated with each of said insulating members, said cross members having their transverse reaches molded within the insulating members at points spaced from the ends of said insulating members, the transverse reaches of said cross members being connected at their outer ends by end reaches integrally joined to the transverse reaches, and loop-like longitudinal members having their longitudinal reaches welded to the end reaches of the cross 4 members with the end reaches of the longitudirality of vertical chambers spaced longitudinal members disposed in an inwardly ofiset relation to their longitudinal reaches and having laterally extending portions constituting mold element engaging members.

ROBERT S. REED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 11,177,950 Howes Apr, 4, 1916 1,377,149 Hadland May 3, 1921 2,182,470 Erdman Dec. 5, 1939 2,194,047 Markel Mar. 19, 1940 2,292,655 Poston Aug. ll, 1942 2,476,433 Shinn, Jr July 19, 1949 

